Fire-escape



(No Model.)

J. P. HILL.

PIRE ESCAPE.

No. 432,045. Patented July l5, 1890.

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bracket.

`UNITED STATES PATENT`v OFFICE.

JAMES F. HILL, OF FLEETVOOD, PENNSYLVANIA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 432,045, dated July 15, 1890. Application filed April17, 1890. Serial No. 348,411. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES F. HILL, a citizen of the United States, residing' at Fleetwood, in the county of Berks, State of Penn- Sylvania, have in vented certain Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved apparatus for quickly and safely lowering Weights, whether animate vor inanimate, but adapted more especially to be used as a means of escape from high buildin gsin case of nre. I-Ieretofore apparatus has .been designed for this purpose involving the use of ropes, pulleys, and friction devices; but the regulation of the speed under different weights and the general operation have not been thoroughly safe and satisfactory.

The main object of my invention is to provide a simple and convenient apparatus which will lower either a light or heavy Weight at a practically uniform speed Without any regulation Whatever and by means of which Women and children may be lowered with perfect safety.

The invention is fully set forth hereinafter in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the features are specifically pointed out ,in the claims.

Figure l is a general view of my apparatus, including the means employed to suspend it. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the main portion of the apparatus, the friction portion of the casing being removed. Fig. 3 is a cross-section through X Yv of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but with the disk and frictionarms removed. Fig. 5 is a corresponding View ot' the friction-casing' alone.

The main part of my apparatus is inclosed in a cylindrical casing or box, which may be six inches in diameter, more or less, and the two parts of which C and K are bolted together by means of circular flanges c4 and Zt. The same bolts may be used to secure it to the suspension-bracket shown in Fig. 1, which consists of a main bracket A, hinged atthe inner ends a ct to a window-frame or other suitable place, and a supplemental bracket B, whichis pivoted at the lowerend a of the vertical arm a2, connecting the horizontal arms of the main rlhis bracket B, to the end of which the casing is directly bolted, as shown, swings in a vertical plane around the center a'. It is moved to the dotted positionwhen not in service, and when swung' ont, as shown,is held horizontal by the hooked portion l).

The rope E, which sustains the weight to be lowered, passes over a pulley D, mounted upon a shaft having bearings cl3 and l2 in the parts C and K of the casing. Ribs d prevent slipping on the pulley. The ends of the rope drop through an opening c3 in the casing C on either side'of a lug c, which projects from its inner face. Friction-'arms F F, pivoted at c and c to the casing on either side of the center, have their free ends pressed by springs f toward each other, thus tending to press both the ascending and descending portions of the rope against the intermediate lug c and providing a iixed amount of friction against movement in either direction. l

In order to provide automatically an additional braking force proportioned to the Weight upon the rope, I mount upon the squared portion CZ of the shaft a disk G, which is thus rotated with the rope-pulley. From the opposite face of this disk and near its rim project pins g g on opposite sides of the shaftcenter. Brake-arms H2 and H3, of semicircnlar form, are pivoted at one end vto the pins g g, and are provided near these pivotal points with brake-shoes h 71 of Wood or other suitable material. These arms extend in opposite directions and on opposite sides, and the free ends of each reach nearly to the pivoted end of the other, thus limiting 'their possible inward swing, While the outward swing is stopped by contact of the brake-shoes h with the inner periphery of the casing K, the friction upon which is increased as the speed of rotation increases, owing to the centrifugal movement of the arms. As the brake-arms extend considerably beyond the shoes 7L, their Weight'acts as a leverage on the shoes and makes the braking force very effective. In

order to make this brakingforce equal whether the rope and its pulley move in one direction or the other, I employ two series of brakearms, both of which are pivoted upon the pins g g. The arms H2 and H3, already described, Aare adapted to operate most effectnally when the rope E is moved in the direction of the IOO arrow. The arms of the second series H and IVI each extend on opposite sides of the center from the arm of the iirst series pivotcd on the same pin, and are thus adapted to operate most eiectually when the rope is moved in the opposite direction from that indicated by the arrow. The movement is thus automatically made equal and uniform whether the weight to be lowered is attached to one end or the other of the rope.

When the apparatus is not in use, the rope is hung upon the post Z/,which projects from the bracket B, and which is so arranged as to hold it when the bracket is closed to the dotted position, but to drop it when thrown cutward to the working position.

The operation of my apparatus has been already clearly indicated. When the bracket B is thrown out, the rope E is a suliicient distance from the wall of the building to clear projections. A number of persons may grasp the descending rope and will be safely lowered, the speed not being increased by additional weight. The ascending end mayin turn be made the descending end, as it will operate in exactly the same way in either direction, the regulation of speed being entirely automatic, and thus perfectly safe for the most helpless person.

Having thus fully described my invention, I do not limit myself to the exact construction described, as it may evidently be modified without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is l In a lire-escape, the combination, with a rope-pulley, of a vfixed lug or stop c, located between the depending` ends of the rope, and spring-actuated arms ar anged to press the ends of the rope against said intermediate lug, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a fire-escape, the combination,with a rope-pulley and the spring-actuated arms arranged to press the end of the rope against an intermediate fixed lug c, of an automatic brake consisting of a disk mounted on said pulley-shaft, two independent series of brake arms carried by said disk, and a friction-casing against which said brake-arms are thrown, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a reescape apparatus, the bracket A, having two horizontal arms and a vertical portion connecting the same, in combination with a supplemental bracket I3, hinged to said vertical portion, adapted to swing in a vertical plane, and provided with a stop, as b, all sub- JAMES F. HILL.

IVitnesses:

J AMEs F. DUMN, MARY A. DUMN. 

